Improvement in the manufacture of gas



4H. w c. TwEnnLE.

VManufacturas ofas.

Patented July 6,1875.

No. |6-5,\a9.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEIGE.

`HERBERTVV. C. TWEDDLE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANuFAcTuRE oF GAS.

,Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165.189, dated July 6,1875 application tiled l March 5, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, HERBERT W. U. TWED- DLE,of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvaniamaveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Manufacture of Gas; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming partof this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a View of apparatus whichmay be employed in carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view ofthe perforated or grated bottom of the vertical retort shown in Fig. l.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating-gas; andconsists in superheatin g an admixture of hydrocarbon vapors and steamor aqueous vapors, and then passing the same through an incandescentmass of mixed carbonaceous and decomposing material contained within aclosed chamber.

I will first describe the apparatus that may be employed, referringtherefor to the accompanying drawing, and then specify the method ofusing the devices.

In the drawing, A indicates a vertical retort, of brick or othersuitable refractory material, surrounded by an iron jacket or casing, B,between which and the brick-work is a small intermediate space, b, whichmay be filled with broken brick, or similar material commonly employedin Iilling in, where allowance is to be made for expansion andcontraction in structures. The bottom of vertical chamber A is grated orreticulated to permit the upward passage of air from pit a, into whichit is forced through pipe C. D D are doors or man-holes, one above andthe other below the grated bottom or diaphragm al and a2 are a series ofholes made through the walls of the retort for the introduction of a rodor poker to loosen up the contents of the retort when necessary. Theholes a2 are closed by a cap or :other suitable means. Arranged withinthe brick-work is a steam-pipe, s, perforated at different points toadmit steam to the interior ofthe retort, and connecting at one or morepoints with branch pipes o, which is used for introducing a hydrocarbon,so that steam and hydrocarbon may be forced into the vertical chamber ata point above the diaphragm. E is the exit-pipe for gas to be used forheating or illuminating, and F a similar-pipev :forconducting oif wastegases, G being a bell or other closed hopper for filling the chamberwith carbonaceons and other material. The several pipes C, E, F, and o'are provided with suitable valves, as shown at c, e, f, and o. h h aresight-holes for examining the state of the retort.

Having an apparatus of the class described, I proceed as follows: Thevalve in wastepipe F being opened and Jthat in E closed, a fire isstarted on the perforated or grated diaphragm and the chamber filledwith' coal, anthrapite coal, or breeze, and a niixture oftlesziwwitli'"ci'der or" slag containing carbonaceous matter and iron. Theblast is admitted through pipe C, and the waste gases, carbonio acid,nitrogen, die., conducted oif by pipe F and utilized. As soon as themass withinthe chamber has been raised to the desired temperature, thevalves in pipe F and C are closed by shutting on" the blast, the valvein pipe E, leading to the Wadshers, exhaust-pum andgsuowmeten is o M r1-lew,an steam and hlfdrocarbonsware'ditted into pipe s, whence, afterbecoming admixed and superheated, they are discharged into theincandescent material contained in the retort, where decomposition andrecomposition takes place.`

The iron, by its presence with the carbonaceous material in the retortat the time the superheated admixture of steam and hydrocarbon is passedthrough, facilitates the decomposition and recomposition of the severalgases and vapors, adding to the speed and certainty of the process.After this operation has been conducted for a time, the temperature ofthe mass in the retort will be reduced belov.' the working point, and assoon as this is discovered the steam is shut off, the valve leading tothe gasometer closed, and those in the blast and waste-gas pipe opened,which will soon bring up the contents of the retort to the requiredtemperature, after which the several steps above described may berepeated.

It may at times be advantageous to admit steam for a short time afterthe-air-blast has been cut on, and before the valve in the wastegas pipehas been closed, so as to insure the freedom ofthe retort from wastegases before the Valve leading to the gasometer is opened. During theworking ofthe retort a slight vacuum is kept up by means of a pump orother' means.

The gas produced as above may, subsequent to its production, becarbureted by passing it through or over gasoline or other lightpetroleum products. The gas, subsequent or prior to this, may bepurified from sulphuretl ed hydrogen by passing it through oxide ofiron, and the carbonic-acid gas by washing through caustic soda or lime.

By this process one ton (two thousand two hundred and forty pounds) ofhard coal or coke will produce about one hundred and iifty-vethousand/feet of heating-gas 5 added to which two and a half to threegallons of gasoline of high quality will produce a gas of sixteen-candlepower.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

As an improvement in the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the processherein described, viz., superheatin g anV admixture of hydrocarbon vaporand steam, and then passing the salne through an incandescent mass ofmixed carbonaceous and decomposing material contained within a closedchamber, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said HERBERT W. C. TWEDDLE, have hereuntoset my hand. Y HERBERT WV. C. TWEDDLE.

Witnesses:

F. W. RITTER, Jr., T. B. KERR.

